Madison Avenue advertising agencies seem to have firing policies that would be illegal elsewhere. An employee is shown the door because she's more ethical than the client. Melody Spencer had not expected this news. Going into shock, she wonders why nothing she does can ever be good enough.

LOVE WITH A PERFECT COWBOY seems like a faraway dream, for this small-town Texas girl has been in NYC for twelve years. Her fashion photographer boyfriend, of recent standing, decides to dump her - and gets the doorman to break the news. She's got nowhere to go. Luke Nielson has just arrived in the city, and they grew up together on opposite sides of a feud line. Luke and Melody liked each other but their families kept them apart. Since Melody's life couldn't get any worse, maybe eating dinner with a Nielson could even be an improvement.

As elected mayor of Cupid, Luke feels it's up to him to help the town through the difficulties caused by ongoing drought. Cupid had a tourist income but the lake has dried up; ranching and farming depended on the water. He's come to ask Melody for a promotional campaign to bring back visitors. After dinner he offers Melody the hospitality of his hotel room and she thinks up a chili and cornbread cookoff festival with a sponsor. It's a start. Something else might have started too - like a magnetic attraction - but they're not going to go there, are they?

The contrast was extremely good, our couple talking about burnt-brown land while traffic blared outside in a city street, Melody finding Texas words coming to mind that would get her mocked in an office meeting. Melody has no intention of dragging home, tail between her legs... if Luke wants to see her again he'll have to find a way for her to return with honour.

Lori Wilde's writing is visual, showing us a white Corvette on the dusty road, prickly pears withering, lean-hipped cattle. We find grit in the air and unforgiving sun, an ATV desert race. There are shades of Letters to Juliet as the town learns to capitalise on the name Cupid. This makes a hot, urgent, concealed romance between two members of bitterly antagonistic families all the more memorable. LOVE WITH A PERFECT COWBOY - could it be for real? Find out and have fun with this skilfully layered adult read.